Best Practices For Research White Papers
We did a little digging into our past projects to think about what the best white papers have in common. We found that the strongest research reports share a few habits. Below is our top 10 list:
Keep the word count lean. We recommend 250 to 350 words per page. Every additional paragraph takes space away from charts, callouts, and white space, which are the elements that make findings stick. Especially for a long report, a tighter manuscript gives the data room to do more of the talking.
Find the story in the data. A survey produces far more results than any reader needs. Rather than reporting on every question, the best reports lead with the handful of findings that matter most and let the rest support them or move to an appendix.
Streamline the data points. Simple charts communicate faster. We favor clean bar charts and focused comparisons over stacked bars, dense tables, and charts with too many categories, and we try to highlight the one number or group each chart is really about.
Lead with a strong point of view. Readers remember conclusions, not percentages. The report should say clearly what the findings mean for the field and what readers should do differently because of them.
Write headlines, not labels. Chart titles and section headers work hardest when they state the takeaway (for example, a finding stated as a full sentence) rather than just naming the topic.
Put key findings up front. An executive summary or key findings spread in the first few pages gives busy readers the full story in a couple of minutes and invites them to read further.
Design for skimming. Pull quotes, callout boxes, and clear section openers let readers scan the report and still come away with the main points.
Keep methodology accessible but out of the way. A short methods note builds credibility, while full detail on sample and approach can live in an appendix for readers who want it.
Plan for reuse. When charts and key findings are designed as standalone pieces, they are easy to pull into presentations, articles, and social posts to extend the life of the research.
Experiment and be creative. The best white papers stand out, go against the grain, and aren’t afraid to experiment with new ways of displaying data. We love our tried-and-true pie charts and bar charts, but we always love to mix it up and get super creative with the editorial design and our data design.